Offerings
by natblue
Summary: Hazel gets a visitor she has not counted on having. The question is, will he call in what Hazel owes him, or is he after something else entirely? Offers are made, and Hazel is repeatedly asking herself what she really wants. Is it the life she is living now, or is it the life she wished for herself seventy years ago?


Offerings

The relentless knocking on the door woke Hazel from a fitful dream. Still half asleep she scrambled to the door and stifled a yawn that threatened to rise, while she at the same time tried to shake off the unease she was in after her nightmare.

She had dreamed that she was in her old home town – New Orleans – and once again was engulfed by the dark masses and the cave burying her on the island the Earth Mother had created. Though, she was very sure of the fact that it was indeed in the past, and that Gaia was defeated it was hard to just let it go. For months in her quest with her friends onboard the Argo II she had been in a constant hurry. There had never really been time to relax for a couple of days and rethink that last weeks' events. A foreboding apocalypse often did that to people. Completely stressed them out and made them not really register what was actually going on until something nasty stared you in the face. On the other hand, that also applied to school.

Procrastination at its finest.

It'd been a long time since the last time she dreamed something like this, and she was tense. Ella the Harpy had promised that when she shared her memories with Frank, what seemed like ages ago, the flashbacks would come to an end. And they had, for a while. Now it seemed like they were back. Perhaps not all of them, but some.

 _KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_

"I'm on my way!" Hazel and reached for the door handle. At the same time she did that, the handle was pushed down and the door opened with a gentle groan. With her hand still outstretched in the air she was now facing a man clad in a toga, similar to the one Hazel wore for the meeting in New Rome later in the evening. The exception being that the man's robes were eerie black, and shimmered as if they were made of mist. Which, according to Hazel's experience, they could be.

Hazel retreated her arm and held it close to her body. She crossed her arms and peered up at the man in front of her. "Father," she acknowledged him. Pluto, Lord of the Underworld and all its riches nodded in greeting.

"Hazel Levesque," he said, and she shivered at the mention of her name. "You have grown." Exactly the same words he had said so many years ago. That had been the first time she had seen her father, and the time she and her mother had moved to Alaska where they later died.

The last time Hazel's father had come to visit, he had carried with him a warning. It had been ignored, and Hazel had suffered the consequences. Whatever Pluto wanted now, Hazel thought determined, it will not change anything. He cannot lay claim to me and force me to return to the Underworld. He can't!

Hazel's face revealed nothing of her feelings as she stepped back into the small apartment she as a centurion now lived in, and gestured for her father to follow suite.

"I believe we have matters to discuss Hazel," her father said. Hazel shut the door after him and then strode into the small living room. Her father was not far behind.

"Really?" she said. "Like what?" She sat down, closely followed by her father. He stared at her intently with his black eyes that were so similar to Nico's. They held the same manic glow that could be either taken for genialness, or that all hell's about to break free. Nevertheless, this was her father, there was no denying it. This was Pluto, Lord of the Underworld and Riches. But this was also Hades. He who gave the souls carried to his domain the punishment or reward they deserved. And now, perhaps it would be her turn.

She did not realize how afraid of this moment she had been. How she had always distracted herself from thinking of what would happen if her father did show up at her doorstep and claimed her soul. How much she would lose, all over again. Her friends, her family, Frank.

Oh gods, Frank. The word boyfriend wasn't nearly enough to describe what he was or what he meant to her. He was so much more than so. Frank was a friend long before they met the others. He was someone she could always rely on, and always trust. He was loyal, and brave, and strong. He had been scared many times, and so had she. Frank's entire life had been dependent on a small piece of a wooden branch, and if the stick burned, then so did he. Hazel did not blame him for fearing, or despairing. She respected him even more. And now, when the piece of wood was safely secured he had nothing to fear for. He had become the fire he had dreaded before, and truth be told… He shone even brighter than the dancing flames, and Hazel saw that in him every day, and loved him for it.

"Child," her father said gently. Hazel met her father's gaze, startled. She had been so deep in thought she had almost forgot he was there. "I am not here to collect your soul. And neither will I until your time in the mortal realm is truly at a final end. That much I can promise you."

Hazel let out a gasp pf air she hadn't realized she was holding. "But the law… your law?!" she stammered. "I don't understand, I'm not supposed to… How…" She trailed off when her father smiled at her fondly.

"My children," he said slowly. "They do not often get happy endings. I said before to your brother that I wanted him to be the exception, that he would allow himself to be happy."

"He would," Hazel said "He is." She tapped her fingers against her leg as if she was playing an invisible instrument, to a tune only she could hear. "But you already knew that, right?"

Pluto chuckled. "Indeed I did. And I must say that even though I had my doubts about that boy, what is his name, Bill Solace…"

"Will."

"He takes care of my son, and Nico seems to like him. Why I don't know. But isn't that the biggest mystery of all. If it isn't Aphrodite, it's Eros. And if it's not Eros is Hermes getting into trouble." He gazed at her. "And I want him to be happy too, Hazel. Like I want you to be happy. And if I by all means would indeed claim your soul, I would at least have the decency to wait until after your birthday."

Hazel smiled at her father. "You remembered."

"Of course. And I would like to give you a gift. It is up to you to choose, and I do not think anyone will judge you for whatever you choice will be."

"What…"

Pluto shifted in his seat, and snapped his fingers. The air behind him shimmered and different images appeared. Hazel gave a noise of surprise when she realized that they were all of her. One showed her as a child playing with a small doll, with her mother doing the dishes in the background. Hazel clearly remembered that moment. She had been five.

The buttons on the doll's dress were made of silver, and Hazel had become upset, by something she now couldn't recall, and accidently made the buttons shoot right through the room like rockets. Her mother gave a yelp threw herself to the floor. The buttons slammed hard into the wall behind her.

Another image showed Hazel when she was awakening Porphyrion. For the first time Hazel saw herself from a different perspective, summoning more and more gold and treasury. At the time it had been awful, but now when Hazel saw it again, it was sickening. She shifted her gaze when she could no longer bear the sight of herself, and settled her eyes on the last picture.

This one was not moving, as the other images had. It was still, but yet it seemed to be breathing.

It showed herself with Sammy, riding, the last day she had been alive. The Hazel in the picture had been captured in the moment, young, free and hopeful. It showed a girl with a future.

She teared away her eyes. When she spoke again, her voice shook.

"What kind of gift are you saying?"

"A choice," her father answered. "Before, you thought of the powers you were born with a curse. And I know that you still think so." He gestured at the image where the silver buttons still flew around. "I am sorry, child, for the pain your heritage has caused you. This will be my gift. If you choose to, I will take it away."

"Take what… Take what away?"

"Your powers."

The answer left Hazel speechless. During her whole life she had thought of her powers as a curse, it was true, and she had more than once wished she had never been born with them. However, they had been proved useful on many of her quests. They had been the key to survival, and had saved both herself and her friends.

Still, what her father offered her was the answer to her prayers and wishes she had been speaking for years and years. To have the part of her that she had always hated and loathed removed. To make it go away, and to not being able to hurt anyone anymore. It would be such a relief, a blessing. All she had to do was to say yes.

Yet, her powers were a part of her, and thinking about get rid of something that was so distinctively her was confounding and somewhat disturbing thought. To eliminate a part of her that she had come to rely on would be like cutting off her own arm. Possible, but hard. And deep down, she couldn't let go. Her powers were who she was, a part of her identity. True, she had hurt many because of them, but she had also helped. Once she had feared it, and would have paid whatever price to remove it. Now she had learned to control it, and made it into a tool she could use to her own advantage. She had accepted the part of her she had always disliked, and in that way accepted the fact that she wasn't perfect and there still was people out there in the world that loved her for who she was.

In the end, the answer was easy, and Hazel did not regret it. It was who she was, and who she would always be.

"I must decline," she said to her father. "If you would have come when I was younger, I wouldn't have hesitated. But now…" Hazel shook her head, determined. "This is who I am."

"Are you confident in your decision, child?" her father asked her in a tone suggesting that he was not very surprised. "There will be no second chances."

"Yes," Hazel replied and smiled. "I won't need any. I am happy now. I have my friends, and Nico, and Frank."

A thoughtful look settled in her father's eyes when she mentioned Frank. "Young Frank," he said and stroke his chin. "Ah, yes. Your, what do you youths say today, boyfriend I believe…"

"Yes. He's good," Hazel told her father. "So don't scare him away."

"No, no," Pluto assured her absentmindedly. "Wouldn't think about it. Just a curious question, has your Frank ever been to the Fields of Punishment?" Hazel opened her mouth to answer, but her father beat her to it. "Perhaps I should take him with me to the fields. They are lovely this time of year."

"Father!"

"Just joking a little." He looked at his daughter again, and grew more serious. "However, I believe you are right. And know…" He stood up, and put a large callused hand on her shoulder. Hazel felt his power, and felt the connection it had to herself and her own being. "You are my daughter, Hazel. And I am proud of you."

Before Hazel could say anything, she felt the hand that was resting on her shoulder grow light, and he was gone as if he had never been there at all.

Hazel could have been left there, unmoving, for a long time, trying to figure out what had happened, was it not for Frank. He chose that exact moment to barge in with his sword held high.

"Hazel!" he exclaimed worriedly when he spotted her. "Are you alright? The door was locked, and I couldn't get it to open, and I heard voices in here, but nobody answered when I was knocking, and I…" Hazel cut him off by throwing her arms around him and kiss him. When they finally broke apart Frank was blushing. Realizing he was still holding a sword in his hand, he quickly sheathed it. "I…I…" He stumbled on the words, and Hazel smiled at him fondly.

"I'm alright. It was only my father paying me a small visit."

"Oh," Frank said weakly. "Oh, alright. Okay."

"I'm fine," Hazel assured her boyfriend, and Frank seemed to shake himself out of the trance he had fallen into, and nodded. Then he exclaimed: "I nearly forgot! I have something for you."

He patted his pockets, and then fished up a small red box. He gave it to Hazel, and she took the delicate package and opened it carefully. Inside, a green dragon laid. Frank cleared his throat. "It's jade," he said. " It's not much, but…" He shifted his footing. "I thought about a necklace first, but then thought that maybe you were tired of jewelry, with the curse and all before. And then I found this in my pocket. I think it was my Grandmother who put it there when we were at my house with Percy, you know during out first quest, and I thought that it fitted you and maybe that you would like it, and now I'm just rambling on because I don't really know what to say. Happy birthday..."

After a paus, Hazel finally spoke. "It's wonderful," she said and kissed him. "It's really beautiful."

"Just like you," Frank said, and then coughed awkwardly. "Oh gods, did I just say that," he mumbled. Hazel only laughed and kissed him again.

When she looked at the small dragon glinting in her palm she felt an ease she had not felt for a long time. She had friends, she had a family, and she had an amazing boyfriend.

After years, decades, of not feeling like she belonged she now fitted in. She didn't have to pretend to be nothing but herself.

She was home.


End file.
